4 that didn't make it, check your cavities

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EdH
Posts: 6
Joined: Sun May 24, 2020 8:04 pm
Location: Colleyville,Texas

Well, my birds didn't show up last night so I lowered the house and found 4 dead ones in one hole this morning. I assume it was because they starved to death not because of the cold. One night I saw 7 go into one hole, that is when it was forecast to get down to 14 degrees. We had 3-4 continuous days of cold wet weather, I think it was just too much. I had meal worms in the holes and all overall over the porches but I have to assume they didn't take to it. So check your cavities.
I live in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, specifically Colleyville, Texas.
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Thomabear
Posts: 468
Joined: Tue Jun 02, 2020 10:10 am
Location: Cut Off, Louisiana

Darn, hate to hear that. :-( 14 degrees, wow... That's certainly bitter weather for them. Hang in there, when we had similar weather a few years ago the subbies came in and filled the gap. Hopefully you experience the same.
2019- 6 Pair, 30 Fledged
2020- 8 Pair, 32 Fledged
2021- 10 Pair, 39 Fledged
HOSP count 130, Starlings 2
2022- 31 Pair, 146 Fledged
HOSP count to date 17, Starlings 1
2023- 28 Pair, 124 Fledged
HOSP count 47, Starlings 1
2024- 40 Pair, 192 Fledged
HOSP count 37,

PMCA Member
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C.C.Martins
Posts: 3177
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025:
HOSP: 3 Starlings: 10
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 36 PMCA excluder gourds, 4 natural gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025:
PMCA member

Damn, sorry. It was brutal cold. Good advice.
We can only do so much. And he's right, the subbies will fill you out. It is tough though, sorry.
Tom

Ps: checked the neighbors gourds, one female dead, male dead under the rack. Another I thought was dead in a gourd, picked it up and he looked at me. Dont know about that one.
Last edited by C.C.Martins on Sun Feb 23, 2025 3:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
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Thomas Maddox
Posts: 438
Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2021 5:23 pm
Location: Sulphur, Louisiana

It's heartbreaking. As of today, I've found 3 dead in my yard and 3 in my MILs yard. It's been raining most of the day, so I haven't checked the cavities and I'm dreading it. I've seen a few still hanging on. It's 51° and cloudy right now with a light rain. Hopefully the rain will stop and they can feed.
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Phil01
Posts: 291
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 6:42 pm
Location: Fernandina Beach FL
Martin Colony History: 34 Cavities offered.
24 unit gourd rack with Troyer Horizontal and Vertical Gourds. Sunset Inn aluminum house with 4 Troyer Horizontal Gourds.

2020- 1 pair, 4 eggs, fledged 3
2021- 3 pair, 15 eggs, fledged 8
2022- 5 pair, 26 eggs, fledged 21
2023- 10 pair, 53 eggs, fledged 27
2024- 26 pair, 125 eggs, fledged 83
PMCA Member

Ugh…. So sorry for your losses guys. The not so fun part of being a landlord for sure! I hope many many SY’s show up to fill the gaps.
Phil
PMCA member
Fernandina Beach, FL
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brent
Posts: 1160
Joined: Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:43 pm
Location: Raceland, Louisiana

So sorry to hear that. I checked my compartments on Friday afternoon after the freeze was over so that I could remove the hand warmers that I put in the day before and to check for any dead birds. I was so relieved not to find any. Yesterday was a good day. Didn’t check yesterday. Today rain all day so unable to look. I will check tomorrow. That is a worry of mine especially after the freeze of 2021 when I did find some then. Starting tomorrow the weather will improve. Again, so sorry. It’s never easy. Brent
Brent
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Thomas Maddox
Posts: 438
Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2021 5:23 pm
Location: Sulphur, Louisiana

You are a good man, Brent.
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C.C.Martins
Posts: 3177
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025:
HOSP: 3 Starlings: 10
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 36 PMCA excluder gourds, 4 natural gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025:
PMCA member

Thomas Maddox wrote: ↑
Sun Feb 23, 2025 2:51 pm
 It's heartbreaking. As of today, I've found 3 dead in my yard and 3 in my MILs yard. It's been raining most of the day, so I haven't checked the cavities and I'm dreading it. I've seen a few still hanging on. It's 51° and cloudy right now with a light rain. Hopefully the rain will stop and they can feed.
Damn, sorry Thomas yes its terrible, the weather is not in their favor. As bad as we want to see them in feb, its like holding your breath. No breaks. Hope its better than you fear.
Tom
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
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Martintown33
Posts: 1203
Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
Location: Laplace,La
Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack

Very sorry to hear about both your losses.. it’s really hard.. I’ve been there.. weather will improve Monday afternoon.. good luck to all..
Rob
PMCA member
Laplace, La
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